Filter cigarettes



Jan. 30, 1968 M. F. CARTY 3,366,121

FILTER CIGARETTES Filed Dec. 15, 1964 FIG.

IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent 3,366,121 FILTER CIGARETTES Margaret F. Carty, Plainfield, Vt., assignor to The H-2-O Filter Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 418,413 3 Claims. (Cl. 131-101) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is for a water-filter cigarette constructed so as to withdraw the nicotine from the smoke thereof.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in filter cigarettes, and it has for its object to provide a moist filter cigarette, which due to its novel construction and unique combination of parts will provide a cigarette in which there is virtually eliminated the passage of tars and nicotine from the tobacco to the mouth of the smoker.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cigarette which due to its inexpensive parts and easy way of manufacturing may be produced at a comparatively low cost.

The construction of this invention may employ, as a main feature, the purifying element of water embodied in a capsule or container and used in combination with a spongy material provided as a protective means in order not to moisten the wall or tobacco of the cigarette proper.

If preferred, the capsule may contain, instead of, or in combination with, water, a solution of any chemical deemed to be an effective deterrent to passage of unhealthful properties of tobacco smoke.

The spongy material will, upon breakage of the capsule, permit the smoke and air to pass through it, after the absorption of fluid from the capsule has caused said material to expand and substantially fill the capsule area; the draw on the cigarette will thus be as easy as, and actually easier than, is the case with the now commonly known filter cigarettes.

The amount of fluid employed must be in proportion to the absorbency or amount of the sponge material used, so as to permit full moistening of the sponge without extension of moisture beyond the sponge and into the tobacco.

In preparing to smoke a cigarette, it should be given a twirling and squeezing motion at the mouthpiece, which motion will rupture the capsule and diffuse the fluid contained therein to the spongy material, which will naturally and subsequently expand and thus, as stated, permit an easy draft on the cigarette, facilitating the passage of smoke therethrough.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists of the novel features, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all views, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a cigarette somewhat enlarged.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view, with parts broken off, taken on the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view somewhat similar to FIGURE 2,

showing the cigarette subjected to a squeezing and twirling motion for breaking the wall of the capsule.

FIGURE 4 illustrates further the motion shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a view somewhat similar to FIGURE 2,

but showing a slight modification of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates a cigarette having the usual paper covering, except for the mouthpiece 11, which consists of a resilient waterproof material.

While the enclosure 10 of said cigarette is substantially filled with tobacco 26, said cigarette has a tubular recess 12 at one end thereof.

A container or capsule 13 filled with a fluid, of, for instance, water, and arranged within said tubular recess 12, is made of any suitable material, such as crack-molded plastics, which will break easily upon application of suitable pressure thereto.

The sides of said tubular member opposite the capsule are provided with a sponge band 14 to prevent the contents of the capsule 13, on breaking thereof, from damaging the structure of the cigarette.

Sponge discs 15 and 15, subject to expansion and absorbency, are arranged, respectively, above and below the container 13, while a dry wad 19 is disposed above said disc 15, thereby forming a mouthpiece 20 at the one end of the cigarette; the other disc 15' protecting the tobacco from any contact with water upon breaking of the said container, has, in addition, for said purpose a piece of dry wad added thereto.

A modification of the invention is shown in FIGURE 5, wherein 13 denotes the container or capsule arranged in the tubular recess 12', which may have its side 18' made impervious to the influence of water in any convenient manner, or may have a sponge band 14' attached to the inner side of said tubular recess.

The space 12' or tubular recess has arranged therein an expansible material 24 surrounding the capsule 13 and adapted to absorb the fluid from said container or capsule upon breaking of the latter.

Above said material 24 is arranged a dry wad 19 made to absorb a restricted amount of moisture from said material 24 and forming the mouthpiece 20' of the cigarette, while at the lower end of the tubular recess 12 and above the tobacco 26 is disposed a member 25 of suitable material, such as cork or a sponge, in order to prevent the infiltration of moisture from the expansible material 24 into the tobacco.

Having thus described the embodiment of my invention herein, it is obvious that changes in the construction and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the US. Patent Office, is:

1. A cigarette of the conventional shape embodying substantially a three-fourths tobacco fill, and having a space at one end, a fluid container within said space adapted to be ruptured, and a water expansible material surrounding said container and absorbing the fluid from the latter upon rupture thereof whereby the expansible material is fully moistened, means for separating said material from the tobacco to prevent moistening thereof, and further means for forming a mouthpiece for the cigarette.

2. A cigarette formed with a recess at one end and having a capsule disposed therein, said capsule being provided with a fluid content and being susceptible to comparatively easy breakage, a water expansible material disposed directly adjacent to said capsule and adapted to absorb the fluid from the latter upon rupture thereof whereby the expansible material is fully moistened and is expanded to substantially fill the capsule recess, a mouthpiece at the end of said recess, and a mass of smoke permeable material separating said expansible materialfrom the tobacco, thereby preventing infiltration of moisture to the latter.

3. A cigarette having a conventional wrapper, and terminating at one end in a resilient, waterproof tube; a recess within said tube having therein a unit comprising a rupturable capsule having a liquid content; absorbent, water expansible material adjacent to said capsule whereby upon rupture of said capsule said expansible material is fully moistened and is expanded to substantially fill said recess, and at each end of said recess, a small mass of fibrous material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 191,108 5/1877 Campfield 131-10 2,085,293 6/1937 Buffington 131-10.9 2,707,960 5/1955 Janecke 131-10.7 2,755,206 7/1956 Statia 131-10.1 2,795,227 6/1957 Seldeen 131-10.9 2,808,057 10/1957 Jaksch 13110.1 2,863,461 12/1958 Frost 131--10.1 2,893,399 7/1959 Jacoby 131-10.1 3,066,681 12/1962 Cohn 131-10.7

LUCIE H. LAUDENSLAGER, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL KOREN, Examiner.

H. P. DEELEY, Assistant Examiner. 

